Classifying maternal deaths in Suriname using WHO ICD-MM: different interpretation by Physicians, National and International Maternal Death Review Committees.

The World Health Organization (WHO) provides a framework (ICD-MM) to classify pregnancy-related deaths systematically, which enables global comparison among countries. We compared the classification of pregnancy-related deaths in Suriname by the attending physician and by the national maternal death review (MDR) committee and among the MDR committees of Suriname, Jamaica and the Netherlands. There were 89 possible pregnancy-related deaths in Suriname between 2010 and 2014. Nearly half (47%) were classified differently by the Surinamese MDR committee as compared to the classification of the attending physicians. All three MDR committees agreed that 18% (n = 16/89) of the cases were no maternal deaths. Out of the remaining 73 cases, there was disagreement regarding whether 15% (n = 11) were maternal deaths. The Surinamese and Jamaican MDR committees achieved greater consensus in classification than the Surinamese and the Netherlands MDR committees. The Netherlands MDR committee classified more deaths as unspecified than Surinamese and the Jamaican MDR committees. Underlying causes that achieved a high level of agreement among the three committees were abortive outcomes and obstetric hemorrhage, while little agreement was reported for unspecified and other direct causes. The issues encountered during maternal death classification using the ICD-MM guidelines included classification of suicide during early pregnancy; when to assume pregnancy without objective evidence; how to count maternal deaths occurring outside the country of residence; the relevance of direct or indirect cause attribution; and how to select the underlying cause when direct and indirect conditions or multiple comorbidities co-occur. Addressing these classification barriers in future revisions of the ICD-MM guidelines could enhance the feasibility of maternal death classification and facilitate global comparison. BACKGROUND: Insight into the underlying causes of pregnancy-related deaths is essential to develop policies to avert preventable deaths. The WHO International Classification of Diseases-Maternal Mortality (ICD-MM) guidelines provide a framework to standardize maternal death classifications and enable comparison in and among countries over time. However, despite the implementation of these guidelines, differences in classification remain. We evaluated consensus on maternal death classification using the ICD-MM guidelines. METHODS: The classification of pregnancy-related deaths in Suriname during 2010-2014 was compared in the country (between the attending physician and the national maternal death review (MDR) committee), and among the MDR committees from Suriname, Jamaica and the Netherlands. All reviewers applied the ICD-MM guidelines. The inter-rater reliability (Fleiss kappa [κ]) was used to measure agreement. RESULTS: Out of the 89 cases certified by attending physicians, 47% (n = 42) were classified differently by the Surinamese MDR committee. The three MDR committees agreed that 18% (n = 16/89) of these cases were no maternal deaths, and, therefore, excluded from further analyses. However, opinions differed whether 15% (n = 11) of the remaining 73 cases were maternal deaths. The MDR committees achieved moderate agreement classifying the deaths into type (direct, indirect and unspecified) (κ = 0.53) and underlying cause group (κ = 0.52). The Netherlands MDR committee classified more maternal deaths as unspecified (19%), than the Jamaican (7%) and Surinamese (4%) committees did. The mutual agreement between the Surinamese and Jamaican MDR committees (κ = 0.69 vs κ = 0.63) was better than between the Surinamese and the Netherlands MDR committees (κ = 0.48 vs κ = 0.49) for classification into type and underlying cause group, respectively. Agreement on the underlying cause category was excellent for abortive outcomes (κ = 0.85) and obstetric hemorrhage (κ = 0.74) and fair for unspecified (κ = 0.29) and other direct causes (κ = 0.32). CONCLUSIONS: Maternal death classification differs in Suriname and among MDR committees from different countries, despite using the ICD-MM guidelines on similar cases. Specific challenges in applying these guidelines included attribution of underlying cause when comorbidities occurred, the inclusion of deaths from suicides, and maternal deaths that occurred outside the country of residence.

A prospective cause of death classification system for maternal deaths in low and middle-income countries: results from the Global Network Maternal Newborn Health Registry.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the causes of maternal death in a population-based cohort in six low- and middle-income countries using a standardised, hierarchical, algorithmic cause of death (COD) methodology. DESIGN: A population-based, prospective observational study. SETTING: Seven sites in six low- to middle-income countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Guatemala, India (two sites), Kenya, Pakistan and Zambia. POPULATION: All deaths among pregnant women resident in the study sites from 2014 to December 2016. METHODS: For women who died, we used a standardised questionnaire to collect clinical data regarding maternal conditions present during pregnancy and delivery. These data were analysed using a computer-based algorithm to assign cause of maternal death based on the International Classification of Disease-Maternal Mortality system (trauma, termination of pregnancy-related, eclampsia, haemorrhage, pregnancy-related infection and medical conditions). We also compared the COD results to healthcare-provider-assigned maternal COD. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Assigned causes of maternal mortality. RESULTS: Among 158 205 women, there were 221 maternal deaths. The most common algorithm-assigned maternal COD were obstetric haemorrhage (38.6%), pregnancy-related infection (26.4%) and pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (18.2%). Agreement between algorithm-assigned COD and COD assigned by healthcare providers ranged from 75% for haemorrhage to 25% for medical causes coincident to pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: The major maternal COD in the Global Network sites were haemorrhage, pregnancy-related infection and pre-eclampsia/eclampsia. This system could allow public health programmes in low- and middle-income countries to generate transparent and comparable data for maternal COD across time or regions. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: An algorithmic system for determining maternal cause of death in low-resource settings is described.

Assigning cause of maternal death: a comparison of findings by a facility-based review team, an expert panel using the new ICD-MM cause classification and a computer-based program (InterVA-4).

OBJECTIVE: To compare methodology used to assign cause of and factors contributing to maternal death. DESIGN: Reproductive Age Mortality Study. SETTING: Malawi. POPULATION: Maternal deaths among women of reproductive age. METHODS: We compared cause of death as assigned by a facility-based maternal death review team, an expert panel using the International Classification of Disease, 10th revision (ICD-10) cause classification for deaths during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (ICD-MM) and a computer-based probabilistic program (InterVA-4). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number and cause of maternal deaths. RESULTS: The majority of maternal deaths occurred at a health facility (94/151; 62.3%). The estimated maternal mortality ratio was 363 per 100 000 live births (95% CI 307-425). There was poor agreement between cause of death assigned by a facility-based maternal death review team and an expert panel (κ = 0.37, 86 maternal deaths). The review team considered 36% of maternal deaths to be indirect and caused by non-obstetric complications (ICD-MM Group 7) whereas the expert panel considered only 17.4% to be indirect maternal deaths with 33.7% due to obstetric haemorrhage (ICD-MM Group 3). The review team incorrectly assigned a contributing condition rather than cause of death in up to 15.1% of cases. Agreement between the expert panel and InterVA-4 regarding cause of death was good (κ = 0.66, 151 maternal deaths). However, contributing conditions are not identified by InterVA-4. CONCLUSIONS: Training in the use of ICD-MM is needed for healthcare providers conducting maternal death reviews to be able to correctly assign underlying cause of death and contributing factors. Such information can help to identify what improvements in quality of care are needed. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: For maternal deaths assigning cause of death is best done by an expert panel and helps to identify where quality of care needs to be improved.

Una nueva mirada sobre la mortalidad y la morbilidad severa maternas en los establecimientos de salud de la Ciudad en 2013 / A new look at mortality and severe maternal morbidity in the City's health institutions in 2013

El estudio comprende la totalidad de las muertes institucionales por causas maternas y de los casos de morbilidad materna atendidos en instituciones públicas de la Ciudad, independientemente del lugar de residencia de las fallecidas o internadas. El objetivo del informe es dar a conocer una síntesis de los resultados de dicho estudio y, asimismo, mostrar una revisión de la situación de la mortalidad materna en la Argentina y en la Ciudad en los últimos 24 años. Para el estudio del subregistro de causas de mortalidad materna, se seleccionó un conjunto de defunciones a analizar en las instituciones a través de la documentación medico-administrativa disponible, de acuerdo con los criterios: Muertes maternas certificadas como tales; Muertes no certificadas como causas maternas pero con cualquier mención de embarazo, parto o puerperio en el contenido de los Informes Estadísticos de Defunción; y Muertes certificadas con una causa de defunción considerada mal definida o inespecífica o sospechosa de encubrir una causa materna. (AU)

Vital registration and under-reporting of maternal mortality in Jamaica.

OBJECTIVE: To identify why vital registration under-reports maternal deaths in Jamaica. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was undertaken to identify all maternal deaths (during pregnancy or ≤42 days after pregnancy ended) occurring in 2008. Data sources included vital registration, hospital records, forensic pathology records, and an independent maternal mortality surveillance system. Potential cases were cross-referenced to registered live births and stillbirths, and hospital records to confirm pregnancy status, when the pregnancy ended, and registration. Medical certificates were inspected for certification, transcription, and coding errors. Maternal mortality ratios (MMRs) for registered and/or unregistered deaths were calculated. RESULTS: Of 50 maternal deaths identified, 10 (20%) were unregistered. Eight unregistered deaths were coroners' cases. Among 40 registered deaths, pregnancy was undocumented in 4 (10%). Among the other 36, 24 (67%) had been misclassified (59% direct and 89% indirect deaths). Therefore, only 12 (30%) registered maternal deaths had been coded as maternal deaths, yielding an MMR of 28.3 per 100 000 live births (95% confidence interval [CI] 12.3-48.3), which was 76% lower than the actual MMR of 117.8 (95% CI 85.2-150.4). CONCLUSION: Under-reporting of maternal deaths in Jamaica in 2008 was attributable to delayed registration of coroners' cases and misclassification. Timely registration of coroners' cases and training of nosologists to recognize and code maternal deaths is needed.

Using the new ICD-MM classification system for attribution of cause of maternal death--a pilot study.

Understanding the causes of and factors contributing to maternal deaths is critically important for development of interventions that reduce the global burden of maternal mortality and morbidity. The International Classification of Diseases-Maternal Mortality (ICD-MM) classification of cause of death during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium was applied to data obtained from maternal death reviews (MDR) for 4558 maternal deaths from five countries in sub-Saharan Africa. None of the data sets identified type of maternal death. Information obtained via MDR is generally sufficient to agree on classification of cause of death to the levels of type and group. The terms 'underlying cause of death' and 'contributing conditions' were used differently in different settings and a specific underlying cause of death was frequently not recorded. Application of ICD-MM resulted in the reclassification of 3.1% (9/285) of cases to the group 'unanticipated complications of management', previously recorded as obstetric haemorrhage or unknown. An increased number of cases were assigned to the groups pregnancy-related infection (5.6-10.2%) and pregnancies with abortive outcome (3.4-4.9%) when a clear distinction was made between women who died 'with' HIV/AIDS of obstetric causes (direct maternal death) and AIDS-related indirect maternal deaths (group 'non-obstetric complications'). Similarly, anaemia and obstructed labour were more frequently identified as contributing factors than underlying cause of death. It would be helpful if MDR forms could have explicitly stated variables called: type, group and underlying cause of death as well as a dedicated section to the most frequently occurring contributing conditions recognised in that setting.

External causes and maternal mortality: proposal for classification.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze deaths from external causes and undefined causes in women of childbearing age occurring during pregnancy and early postpartum. METHODS: The deaths of 399 women of childbearing age, resident in Recife, Northeastern Brazil, in the period 2004 to 2006, were studied. The survey utilized the Reproductive Age Mortality Survey method and a set of standardized questionnaires. Data sources included reports from the Institute of Legal Medicine, hospital and Family Health Strategy records and interviews with relatives of the deceased women. External causes of death during pregnancy were classified according to the circumstance of death, using the O93 code (ICD) and maternal mortality ratios before and after the classification were calculated. RESULTS: Eighteen deaths during pregnancy were identified. The majority were aged between 20 and 29, had between 4 and 7 years of schooling, were black and single parents. Fifteen deaths were classified using the O93 code as pregnancy related death (13 for homicide - code 93.7; 2 by suicide - code 93.6) and three were classified as indirect obstetric maternal deaths (one homicide - code 93.7 and two by suicide - code 93.6). There was an average increment of 35% in the RMM after classification. CONCLUSIONS: Deaths from undefined causes in and in early postpartumdid not occur by chance and their exclusion from the calculations of maternal mortality indicators only increases levels of underreporting.

Causas externas e mortalidade materna: proposta de classificacao / External causes and maternal mortality: proposal for classification

OBJETIVO: Analisar os óbitos por causas externas e causas mal definidas em mulheres em idade fértil ocorridos na gravidez e no puerpério precoce. MÉTODOS: Foram estudados 399 óbitos de mulheres em idade fértil de Recife, PE, de 2004 a 2006. A pesquisa utilizou o método Reproductive Age Mortality Survey e um conjunto de instrumentos de investigação padronizados. Foram usados como fontes de dados laudos do Instituto Médico Legal, prontuários hospitalares e da Estratégia Saúde da Família e entrevistas com os familiares das mulheres falecidas. Óbitos por causa externa na gravidez foram classificados de acordo com a circunstância da morte usando-se o código O93 e calculadas as razões de mortalidade materna antes e depois da classificação. RESULTADOS: Foram identificados 18 óbitos na presença de gravidez. A maioria das mulheres tinha entre 20 e 29 anos, de quatro a sete anos de estudo, eram negras, solteiras. Quinze óbitos foram classificados com o código O93 como morte relacionada à gravidez (13 por homicídio - O93.7; dois por suicídio - O93.6) e três mortes maternas obstétricas indiretas (uma homicídio - O93.7 e duas por suicídio - O93.6). Houve incremento médio de 35,0% nas razões de mortalidade materna após classificação. CONCLUSÕES: Os óbitos por causas mal definidas e no puerpério precoce não ocorrem por acaso e sua exclusão dos cálculos dos indicadores de mortalidade materna aumentam os níveis de subinformação. .

OBJETIVO: Analizar los óbitos por causas externas y causas mal definidas en mujeres en edad fértil ocurridos en el embarazo y en el puerperio precoz. MÉTODOS: Se estudiaron 399 óbitos en mujeres en edad fértil de Recife, PE, de 2004 a 2006. La investigación utilizó el método Reproductive Age Mortality Survey y un conjunto de instrumentos de investigación estandarizados. Se usaron como fuente de datos, laudos del Instituto Médico Legal, prontuarios hospitalarios y de la Estrategia Salud de la Familia y entrevistas con los familiares de las mujeres fallecidas. Óbitos por causa externa en el embarazo fueron clasificados de acuerdo con la circunstancia de la muerte usándose el código O93 y calculados los cocientes de mortalidad materna antes y después de la clasificación. RESULTADOS: Se identificaron 18 óbitos en la presencia del embarazo. La mayoría de las mujeres tenía entre 20 y 29 años, de cuatro a siete años de estudio, de piel negra y soltera. Quince óbitos fueron clasificados con el código O93 como muerte relacionada con el embarazo (13 por homicidio - O93.7; 2 por suicidio - O93.6), y tres muertes maternas obstétricas indirectas (una por homicidio - O93.7 y dos por suicidio - O93.6). Hubo incremento promedio de 35,0% en las RMM posterior a la clasificación. CONCLUSIONES: Los óbitos por causas mal definidas y en el puerperio precoz no ocurren por casualidad y su exclusión de los cálculos de los indicadores de mortalidad materna aumenta los niveles de sub-información. .

OBJECTIVE To analyze deaths from external causes and undefined causes in women of childbearing age occurring during pregnancy and early postpartum. METHODS The deaths of 399 women of childbearing age, resident in Recife, Northeastern Brazil, in the period 2004 to 2006, were studied. The survey utilized the Reproductive Age Mortality Survey method and a set of standardized questionnaires. Data sources included reports from the Institute of Legal Medicine, hospital and Family Health Strategy records and interviews with relatives of the deceased women. External causes of death during pregnancy were classified according to the circumstance of death, using the O93 code (ICD) and maternal mortality ratios before and after the classification were calculated. RESULTS Eighteen deaths during pregnancy were identified. The majority were aged between 20 and 29, had between 4 and 7 years of schooling, were black and single parents. Fifteen deaths were classified using the O93 code as pregnancy related death (13 for homicide – code 93.7; 2 by suicide – code 93.6) and three were classified as indirect obstetric maternal deaths (one homicide – code 93.7 and two by suicide – code 93.6). There was an average increment of 35% in the RMM after classification. CONCLUSIONS Deaths from undefined causes in and in early postpartumdid not occur by chance and their exclusion from the calculations of maternal mortality indicators only increases levels of underreporting. .